Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri-Al Maliki has begun a tortuous process of government formation which will test his skills to cobble together a cabinet that will adequately represent Iraq’s often warring ethnic and religious groups.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on Thursday gave Mr. Maliki 30 days to form his new government. Conscious of the turbulence which his socially divided country can experience, Mr. Maliki has appealed for unity. “I call upon the great Iraqi people in all its sects, religions and ethnicities and I call upon my brothers the politicians to work to overcome all differences and to put these differences behind us,” said Mr. Maliki. He added, “I know and you know well that the responsibility I am undertaking is not an easy task especially in the current circumstances that our country is passing through.”
Analysts point out that Mr. Maliki’s biggest current challenge is to get his rival, Iyad Allawi, the leader of the Iraqiya formation, on board. Backed by the Sunni community in large numbers, Iraqiya had won 91 out of the 325 seats that were up for grabs during the March 7 elections, the highest by any single party. However, Iraqiya failed to form a coalition of 163 seats, which would have enabled it to form a new government.
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On the contrary, Mr. Maliki, despite mustering only 89 seats on his own, was able to bring together smaller Shia parties, and later the Kurdish groups as well. This resulted in the formation of a Shia-Kurdish coalition, which could have formed a government on its own. However, Mr. Maliki is aware that without accommodating Iraqiya, and with it the restive Sunni community, Iraq’s long-term stability would remain in doubt.
The Prime Minister designate has also to do some tightrope walking that would ensure that without affronting other communities, the followers of one-time- foe turned ally, Moqtada Al Sadr, who is pursuing theological studies in Iran, are suitably accommodated in the new government.